“A what?” A blank stare.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4W3WPy0cU3
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSYBIigbKg
“A d..date.” Came a meek yet slightly firm response.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKHktmSSkn
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4cG5o1vAF
I raise an eyebrow at a five foot six, ginger haired boy standing in front of me who is a couple inches shorter. He is definitely trying to avoid making eye contact, yet he’s asking me out on a date.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnD87newn0
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The gall, really.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0exZj59al
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Due to some bad experiences regarding getting in a relationship and being ask out, I now have a wall that guards me to no end, to protect me from boys, or I would much rather say, ‘jerks who pranks girls in asking them out because they think it’s funny or cool’, so in other term, I’m always skeptical and can never be damn sure if what I’m facing right now is a prank or a real thing.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKkXVGltGW
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrSXw7YD24
I stare at him, up and down at his blue hooded attire with faded jeans first before trying to figure out his motives (if he has any) and wondering if he’s being bullied to do this. I have had way too many experiences in being picked on, probably because I’m mostly taller than almost all the guys in my school. Or maybe it’s because I just have that unresponsive mode and blur expression on my face that they think I wouldn’t retaliate when attacked.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJWkAwkdE8
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Boy, were they wrong but let’s not get into that.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5vkb608nY
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The timid looking and probably shy (based on the colour of his now flaming pink cheeks, I’m just going to assume that) guy stared at me back, although it looks like he’s occasionally sneaking glances by the way he’s avoiding and meeting my eyes sometimes. It made me feel like we’re playing eye-tag. 984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPHuJvm3CE
Keeping my composure cool and not saying a word in hopes that he would feel awkward then walk away (since that usually worked), he surprised me by repeating his question again. This time, with a wee bit of confidence.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bl2i2i0D3
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdpW8bwT7E
“W..will you go out on a date with me?” He even maintained the eye contact with me!984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoafTTtQxl
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdefZDlEq9T
I am utterly speechless because….984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ91L9M443B
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfG2znzrwJJ
“I don’t even know your name.” I blurt out.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qw38knHcZ
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It’s true. Back then, the guys who played pranks on me – I’d at least know what grade they’re from but this guy... this red headed with green eyes is completely a stranger whom I’ve never seen around on campus. And when I look at him more, I thought he’s actually pretty… cute – but I shall not give in to this stranger’s whims!984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvMqQkYFXX
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk7XCvo99F
So I shook my head a little bit and said, “I don’t suppose it’ll matter ‘cause I don’t like going on dates.” before walking away.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9vPtLsd7U
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw35zYIYYeE
“My name’s Clarence and we sat next to each other in Arts!” Came a yell.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt10g25L1HV
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I turn around only to find that he’s walking briskly towards me with his breath a little uneven. Arts, huh? Well I normally sat alone in class…984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7BoKaVqAZ
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I walk faster. 984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTUrj0BgSb
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“You were always daydreaming and never really paid attention in class so that’s why you don’t recognize me.”984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31qB9o457g
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkdhSRrfGQ
Okay, that’s true. So he really was in Art class.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d4qIOOOOO
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Irritated, I stop and turn around. “Why are you so persistent? Did someone put you up to this?”984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbuKTIaG9Y
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He had the audacity to look appalled. “No! I… I’m asking you out because I l-like you, Abigail.”984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PCju2FVqK
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That would actually be nice if it was true and I’d really like to believe that but I just…can’t.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiWmR3OLpC
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWkyNvDWhl
“I know your situation with those jerks and I assure you that I’m not one of them.” said Clarence.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcqPJrlg1W
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“Riiight.” I started to walk again, briskly this time.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54Jt9tZJil
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I quirk up an eyebrow. Now what am I going to do? Things have never actually spiraled out to this level because usually those guys would have stopped their pestering the moment I stared at them hard till the situation gets awkward.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZepLHuZYVH
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“Really, just hear me out, okay?” He’s walking beside me now, catching up with my pace.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaGVNVyMXJ
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“No.”984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUX0KSbgsi
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I heard a noise of a slight frustration before the next sentences of words comes out of his mouth.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdritqIrzeP
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“I’ll buy you pizza if you could just hear me out!”984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsNaQcAbBp
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And I couldn’t believe that right at the mention of pizza, my stomach grumbled. As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, it was a loud one at that. I could practically feel Clarence’s grin at the opportunity that I had unwillingly given him.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjydSykTCqX
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3wDFTvzUq
Little did he know, he had just hit my one and annoying weakness. So, as cheap as I felt and stupid as well for not being able to resist the temptation of food and for letting down my guard because of that, I agreed to have some pizza with him.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pyozfly0j
It has been an hour that we have been indulging ourselves with two regular pans of pizza in the parlour and in that moment of time, we had a fair share of understanding each other as well – sort of. Clarence explained to me that he was once bullied so he understood my actions and attitude towards the others. He told me he wouldn’t want to treat others like how he was treated.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLboZpKUZ5U
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIVfWPste2
I thought it was kind and sweet of him to think that and maybe it showed a little bit on my slightly flushed face (I could feel the heat creeping up to my neck now). I wondered why he liked me and asked him that. Not sure what to expect, he certainly seem to be honest when he said that he didn’t actually know why but only felt a pull of attraction towards me...984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qoRr3eM0Y
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“I figured I’d want to get to know you better.” He said but then mutter quietly, “I mean, I’ve already liked you for almost two months now.” Clarence then called out to someone from behind me with a quick wave of his hand.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnb5NQQk79
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“Hm?” I said into the glass that I was drinking from while raising a slight eye brow at him. I’m pretty sure he said something. 984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0C4bzuB2I
He only smiled and shook his head.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2M5T6In2w
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We were halfway finishing our pizza when I noticed that his hands were subtly moving under the table then a horrified expression crossed over his face before he composed himself.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoTGo5WGMC
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“What? Why did you have that expression on your face?” I asked curiously.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HbktIwHea
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He was nonchalant but something felt a bit off. “Eh? It’s nothing.”984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMNdQESnAo
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By now, my walls started to come up again. So I grit my teeth a bit. “Clarence, this is not a joke, is it?” to which his eyes were wide as saucers as he assured me, “Definitely not! I’m not that kind of guy.” I continue to stare at him and we got engaged in a little staring contest before he sighed.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkn075SY3YG
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“I suppose I have a surprise for you.” He grins at me. But it look weird - like forced.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQ7XSF6ZYk
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I was about to say something when a waiter came to our table and showed us the bill. Waiting for him to fish out his wallet and pay for it, I look to Clarence only to find him looking at me apologetically – with his eyes that looked painfully sorry and mouth mouthing furiously. However, I definitely caught on to what he said and look at him blankly, shaking my head a little.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbPh3Ecxtp
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“Surprise?” He chuckled nervously.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIHqpQIFQ8
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A surprise indeed, not to mention I’m furious although I may look like an emotionless shell on the outside. Not wanting to wait any longer, I paid for the meals and handed the waiter 60 bucks for the total before walking calmly towards the entrance without waiting for my ‘date’. I’m pretty sure he followed me out as I felt him walking behind me at a distance as we walk a little farther from the pizza parlour.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQIUBTPTkW
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPiUcOi6WG
Slowing down, I stop then turn around and yelled, “You idiot! So you didn’t realized that you were short of money?!”984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXFDJ7rb1t
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9EmGrXn3B
His eyes were wide before he was hot on his heels, knowing that I would definitely chase after him the moment he saw my deadly glare. A moment later, I caught up to him as we ended stopping at a park nearby the parlour, catching our breath.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4k7vcP4Jk
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“Seriously, that was really lousy.” I huff.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl61uKBCvjq
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Clarence was panting a little bit as he replied, “Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen. I really thought I had enough cash with me.”
As we calmed ourselves down, Clarence once again apologize profusely to me, promising me that he will most definitely pay for the meals and make sure he has enough cash on our next date should I give him a second chance.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kImrEiFn6
984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmkInXzZnJ
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, a little skeptical.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq5Qrhu0eA
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His face was serious. “Yeah. We can go for a movie or something cooler than that. Maybe even pizza afterwards.” Clarence grin knowingly.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTctgzdrM6L
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I wasn’t about to hesitate the moment he suggested that. I mean, come on, I’ve got to make him pay for this bad date that we had, right? Besides, I think he knows my weakness on that already by that cheeky grin of his.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoFxi6NATc
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So I agreed, again.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJDv2YAuIc
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And you know what? He certainly did fulfilled his promise on our second date.984Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡny4t2Ei9zJ
